Let’s mash-up Once Upon a Time from the fairy tales of yore, and the iconic TV show of the mid-50s You are There hosted by the avuncular Walter Cronkite, and see what happens. One answer, and possibly the best one would be Moscow Nights by the excellent and elegant writer, Nigel Cliff. He tells the story of Van Cliburn, who was for a while, quite easily the most recognized face in the world! But not just the surface view – no, he really digs deep for a terrific and very comprehensive look at one of the wonders of the 20th Century!

Cliburn was born in July, 1934, and was inspired as a youngster by a photograph of St. Basil’s Cathedral in Moscow – as who wouldn’t be, especially if said child had already been exposed to the music of Russian’s many famous Romantic-era composers? An only child, Van – real name: Harvey Lavan – was always simply known as Van, thanks to his mother Rildia Bee O’Bryan Cliburn. As a piano teacher in Shreveport, Louisiana, she had once been part of the welcoming committee for an appearance there of the Russian master – Sergei Rachmaninoff.

Why We Snap: Understanding the Rage Circuit in your Brain is an interesting and detailed account of what potentially causes humans to snap. R. Douglas Fields is well versed in the study of the brain as an expert in the field of neuroscience and explains the patterns and triggers of rage in a conversational and anecdote filled project that will allow for the casual reader to gain a grasp on how the brain processes the rage emotion. While the stories and examples do allow for the research and explanation to be easily followed, there are of course some scientific points and data that speak more on an expert level. Dr. Fields is a careful writer that successfully manages to turn a lot of research into a well-crafted work of non-fiction. If this book were written in a different fashion, most readers, not in the field or familiar with the study, would probably put the book down.

Like most young brothers, Connor and Cayden were the best of friends and enjoyed spending time together. Unlike most brothers, Cayden struggled with Cerebral Palsy which limited his ability to run, play outside and be active like the other kids.

I am an avid reader, as many of you know, but most of what I read is fiction. It takes an incredibly good book to pull me into a non-fiction story. Such was the case with One of the Few. This was a very different read for me–not only was it not fiction, but it was also told from a military viewpoint. More on that below!

Jason Ladd is the author of this intriguing and eye opening look at Christianity. He is a Marine and an Iraq war veteran, which gives him a unique view, or take, on things. Jason gives us his life story in the first part of the book, showing us some of the things that shaped his path and his mindset, and then delves deep into a defense of the Christian faith.

Some of my sweetest memories from my home schooled childhood was when my mom would gather us around in the living room for reading time. We would be a captivated audience as she read aloud to us. I want to give that same memory and love for story to my children. My mother cultivated in me a love for books and reading. In the journey to helping my children have a well rounded love for books and people, Jamie C. Martin’s guide is my new go-to. Even though my own children are not home schooled, Give Your Child the World is still an amazing resource.

In Give Your Child the World, we are introduced to Martin’s multicultural family—her husband and each one of her three children coming from different countries. In these first few chapters, Martin also gives practical tips and tricks to seamlessly “invite the world into your home”.

Around the world, having some kind of religious faith is an experience common among the majority. In particular, those that affiliate with Catholicism are spread far and wide around the world, but all come under the leadership of the Pope. While the Pope is commonly known to be the head and leading authority in the Catholic Church, that is an image associated with leading the flock to follow God. But who knew he was head of the Vatican Bank as well. Surprisingly, the Catholic Church is an institution with vast financial holdings that extend far beyond Vatican city and local Catholic churches. While the image of the church is one replete with icons, statutes, colorful paintings and robed priests, the underbelly of this institution is far less holy and its finances are littered with crime and amoral behavior.

Was there ever anywhere on earth more congenial than Mayberry? The made-for-television version, that is, which was home to Sheriff Andy Taylor and his deputy Barney Fife. Otherwise known as Andy Griffith and Don Knotts.

This enjoyable book is a long and loving, detailed look at the two men; their similarities and their differences. It is very even-handed, displaying with great sensitivity the sunny upsides along with the dark and melancholy undersides.

Although Andy and Don doesn’t spare the unhappy parts, it is not ever mean-spirited, presenting the facts just as they happened. Andy and Don were, after all, one of the most famous comedy duos in America, and every comedy act has its sad counterpart.

It is absolutely true that as you grow older, you begin to pay attention to growing older, probably hoping to continue growing older yet. I discovered a few years ago that I was very interested in reading of the exploits of other elders – recreating yourself in your 60s or 70s or even beyond. Some of these stories are just incredible, others not so much.

So, when I read the description of Sixty by Ian Brown, a renowned journalist in Canada, I knew I had to read it. I’m pretty sure that I’d never previously heard of Mr. Brown, who is well known, both as a writer and for his TV appearances. (I’ve not had a TV for 13 or more years, which could explain a bit of that gap.) Based on this book, he is a very good writer. He is able to discern truths where others might only see or hear a muddle of sound.

Picking the Low Hanging-Fruit by James Sudakow is a hilarious dictionary of terms that are commonly used today as buzzwords–especially in corporate America. The table of contents is an alphabetical list of the terms covered in the book, from A to Zed. Each section specific to a word explains what the word means and what it doesn’t mean (usually its literal definition), and includes funny illustrations and directions on how to use that word in a sentence. In the “more information” section, Sudakow provides real life information on how and why the phrase came into being, how it is applied, and what employees really think about the phrase today.

If your husband would change, he would no longer be the man you fell in love with! Unless, of course, you would change too! I’m not too sure where that would leave you, to be honest.

I don’t consider myself to be a religious person or a panty-waist, either, but I just don’t happen to like profanity. I’ve never used it (and have no intentions of starting now) which is just one reason why I do tend to enjoy mystery and romance novels that are classified as “Christian”. I find that most of these books are not preachy, but are well-written, with great characters and a solid plot. Some of them I’ve chosen because of their Christian status, others came as a — surprise! I’m pretty sure I’ve finished any of them that I’ve started, which isn’t always the case in other genres of books.